Becoming the observer is the next step in our mindfulness journey. It involves non-judgementally viewing of our own emotions and places of vulnerability so that we might find where they are rooted and begin to released their hold over us. When we can look at our emotions and behaviors without judgement then we can begin to determine how we would like to act on the world around us rather than reacting to it without thought. We move from judgement and reaction to acceptance and reasoned action. ... Continue Reading

 This week’s guest is Duane Osterlind, LMFT, CSAT who specializes in the treatment of porn and sexual addictions.  This is a burgeoning area in addictions and is often rooted in severe abuse and trauma issues.  Although I have an understanding of process addictions like sexual addiction, gambling addictions, etc I was very excited to be able to sit and speak with Duane who specializes in this area.  The scope of his knowledge is extensive.  You can find his website ... Continue Reading

Opiate addictions are the fastest growing segment of addiction even among the elderly. Too often pain management can lead to relapse and/or to heroin use, which is one of the reasons underlying the increase of heroin use in the U.S. More and more research is beginning to indicate that physical pain is often related to emotional trauma and stress. The body holds on to this trauma and stress triggers pain as a way of signaling us that something is wrong. Research is also indicating that ... Continue Reading

In this episode we look at cravings and triggers. Feel free to download the file about how drugs actually hijack the brain and the craving mechanisms that occur from Harvard Medical school from my website as an additional informational resource. Often addiction and cravings can come on quickly and be rooted in trauma. We also look at the intensity of cravings and try to educate families and loved ones about how this feels for the addict and the amount of courage it can take to resist. Then we ... Continue Reading

Often with Trauma and Addiction we can get quickly triggered and suddenly we are craving or we are back in a situation that generated trauma for us in our lives and it’s as if we are actually back there again re-experiencing everything in real time. How does that happen? Why does our brain throw us back to that place and why does it feel so real that we become anxious and panicked? Today we look at the way the brain reacts to trauma and how the part of the brain responsible for protecting us ... Continue Reading

In this episode of Mindful Recovery, I introduce you to what the general format of the podcast is going to be about. A podcast dedicated to using mindfulness techniques in our journey of recovery from trauma and addiction as well as the mental health issues that often coincide. You will be introduced to some of the topics I plan to cover in addition to an introductory mindfulness exercise to help you begin your journey into recovery and abundant living. Read more at ... Continue Reading